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2015-05-28

answer › answering member constituency

Milton Keynes North

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To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to (a) monitor
designated and non-designated military wrecks and (b) facilitate the prosecution of
those accused of the illegal salvage of such wrecks.

<p>Where we are able to offer legal protection to military wrecks by means of asserting
Sovereign Immunity or by designation under the Protection of Military Remains Act
1986 we will continue to do so. However, given the vast number of Royal Navy wrecks
around the world, there are limitations on what can be achieved with regard to protection,
but where we have definitive evidence of desecration of these sites, we will take
appropriate action.</p><p>We are also pursuing the wider education of sea-users as
a long term measure. Protection can be delivered through information to and education
of those who might wish to disturb the wrecks. As an example of how this can be effective,
the Royal Malaysian Navy has foiled an attempt to loot historic wrecks after receiving
information of suspicious activity from the Pahang Fishermen's Association. In that
way, through local engagement with the Malaysian authorities and others, we endeavour
to protect such military maritime graves now and in the future.</p>

<p>Information held centrally by the Ministry of Defence on the distribution of the
£35 million LIBOR Fund and the £40 million Veterans Accommodation Fund is provided
in the attached documents. Information on the £35 million LIBOR Fund is collated by
country rather than region.</p><p> </p><p> </p>

<p>This Government is determined to protect and improve the morale of the Service
personnel who contribute and sacrifice so much for our country. That is why we enshrined
the Armed Forces Covenant in law and put our people at the centre of policy making
and delivery. We have introduced a raft of measures to improve Service life, including
improved welfare support, the £200 million Forces Help to Buy scheme and a permanent
commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant through a £10 million per annum fund which
starts this year.</p><p> </p><p>These efforts are yielding clear dividends, and I
am pleased that the recently published 2015 Armed Forces continuous attitude survey
demonstrates an increase in officers who rate their morale as high - up from 41% in
2014 to 45% in 2015 - while the same figure for other ranks remains level at 39%.
It is also noteworthy that the number of Service personnel who would recommend others
to join the Armed Forces has increased from 41% to 47%. These figures are encouraging,
especially when viewed against the context of the tough decisions around headcount
reductions and pay restraint.</p><p> </p><p>I recognise that more remains to be done,
and we will continue to strive to ensure that our Armed Forces feel valued and that
their contribution and sacrifice is recognised, including through the development
of the New Employment Model which aims to produce a modernised offer that reduces
the impact of Service life on individuals and their families. We remain on course
to meet Future Force 2020 targets as we move towards the agile and flexible force
needed to keep us safe at home and abroad.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p>

<p>The Royal Military Police made contact with the German authorities on three occasions
in 2014 and five in 2015. In addition they met with the German authorities in 2012
and 2013 to discuss the case. The table below provides dates of the contacts with
the German authorities in 2014 and 2015:</p><table><tbody><tr><td>2014</td><td>2015</td></tr><tr><td>16
July</td><td>5 January</td></tr><tr><td>21 October</td><td>8 January</td></tr><tr><td>20
November</td><td>21 April</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td>30 April</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td>6
May</td></tr></tbody></table><p>As the investigation is still under way it would not
be helpful to speculate on when it might conclude. However Katrice’s family is being
kept informed of any developments.</p>

<p>The Royal Military Police made contact with the German authorities on three occasions
in 2014 and five in 2015. In addition they met with the German authorities in 2012
and 2013 to discuss the case. The table below provides dates of the contacts with
the German authorities in 2014 and 2015:</p><table><tbody><tr><td>2014</td><td>2015</td></tr><tr><td>16
July</td><td>5 January</td></tr><tr><td>21 October</td><td>8 January</td></tr><tr><td>20
November</td><td>21 April</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td>30 April</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td>6
May</td></tr></tbody></table><p>As the investigation is still under way it would not
be helpful to speculate on when it might conclude. However Katrice’s family is being
kept informed of any developments.</p>

<p>In March 2011 the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) received an allegation of theft
of artefacts from the sunken battlecruiser HMS Queen Mary. After due consideration
it was concluded by the MDP that no further action could be taken. Any new information
will be considered by the MDP in the normal manner.</p>

<p>For the purposes of answering this question I have taken operational base to be
any RAF base that supports frontline operations, such as main operating bases and
training establishments. There are 27 operational RAF bases in England: included in
this are two RAF-named units operated by other Front Line Commands, and the tri-service
technical training bases. There is one RAF base in Scotland and none in Northern Ireland.
There are two RAF bases in Wales, which includes a technical training base. These
figures do not include minor RAF units; RAF-operated diversionary airfields at Army
units; sites operated by the United States Visiting Forces; sites only used by University
Air Squadrons, Air Experience Flights, and Volunteer Glider Squadrons; Force Development
Training Centres; Air Weapon Ranges; or remote radar and radio sites. There is one
former RAF base in the UK that is in caretaker status, which is in England.</p>

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 1 June 2015 to
Question 126, when he expects to be able to place in the Library the correspondence
between his Department and Public Health England in relation to use of Lariam or Mefloquine
and reports of (a) hallucinations, (b) psychosis and (c) suicidal thoughts in personnel
prescribed those medications for the period 2010 to 2015; and if he will make a statement.

<p>Cadet organisations, including the Army Cadet Force, play an important part in
the opportunities available to young people to develop skills and experiences alongside
their education. The Ministry of Defence is pleased to support them and does so with
over £150 million of funding each year. 100 new cadet units were established under
the Cadet Expansion Programme in english schools during the last Parliament; along
with a target to reach 500 cadet units in schools by 2020.</p>

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Prime Minister's
press release of 18 August 2014, what steps he is taking to assess the impact of his
Department's policies on the family.

<p>Armed Forces families are an integral and valued part of the Armed Forces community.
We ask a great deal of our Service personnel and, in return, they deserve to have
confidence that their families are appropriately supported.</p><p>Over the last five
years this Government has achieved significant successes in this area; we amended
the schools admissions code to allow schools in England to allocate a place in advance
of a Service family arriving in the area, and enabled infant schools in England to
admit Service children over the class size of 30. In addition, we allocated £20 million
in LIBOR money in Financial Year 2014-15 to support childcare infrastructure for Service
families.</p><p>One of the key tools we use to understand how Armed Forces families
feel about the policies which affect them is the annual Families Continuous Attitude
Survey (FAMCAS) which monitors the views of spouses and civil partners of Service
personnel in key welfare areas, including employment, schooling, healthcare and accommodation.
The results of the survey are used to help develop and track military personnel policies.
In excess of 7,000 people completed the 2014 FAMCAS survey, with the responses showing
improvements in areas such as full-time employment rates for spouses which increased
from 33% in 2010 to 40% in 2014 and the numbers owning their own home, which increased
from 55% to 58% in the same period.</p><p>In addition to the use of FAMCAS, officials
work closely with each Service, the Service Families Federations and Armed Forces
charities to understand and respond to family issues. At a senior level, the Families
Forum meetings and Service Charities Partnership Board meetings provide regular opportunities
for family issues to be raised and monitored with Ministers and the Chief of Defence
People.</p><p>I recognise that there is more we can do to support families, which
is why I am determined to drive forward projects such as the New Employment Model
which aims to produce a modernised offer that reduces the impact of Service life on
individuals and their families.</p>